This document contains the Wonderland Roadmap. The dates included here are estimates of when we hope to have functionality complete. Please keep in mind while reviewing this roadmap that the core team of developers on this project are situated in a research lab without documentation, testing, Q/A and other resources typically associated with a product organization. This is a living document that will be updated periodically as our thinking evolves and as we develop a better understanding of how long it will take to implement different aspects of the system.

Release 0.4 - completed

PreviousRoadmap2008

Release 0.5 - Major Architectural Improvements (December 2008 through Summer 2009)

Note: This release involves major code changes to the system, so there is substantial risk that the dates of this release will slip.

This version of Wonderland represents a major rewrite of the system. As such, 0.5 is being broken down into a series of monthly developer releases which began in December 2008 and will culminate in an end-user release sometime over the summer. These releases are intended to give developers access to the new code base and features as quickly as possible so that applications built using the 0.4 code base can be ported and new applications started.

There are three major changes in 0.5 and many, many smaller changes. First, all the basic Wonderland APIs are being re-designed. The API changes should dramatically improve development going forward, but they do mean that all 0.4 applications will have to be ported over to the 0.5 APIs. Another major change in 0.5 is replacing Java3D with the more modern jMonkeyEngine (JME) scene graph. The change is needed for a number of reasons. There are features in JME that will substantially help to upgrade the look of Wonderland including render-to-texture, programmable shaders, and multi-pass. Additionally, there is an existing and growing tool chain around JME, including a Collada loader, which will be a huge benefit to Wonderland content developers. The third major architectural change is replacing the existing inflexible avatar system with a modern state-of-the-art avatar system that includes new bone models, and advanced skinning features. Here is a complete list of new features slated for 0.5 followed by a rough plan for when these features will be implemented.

• Move from CVS to SVN source code control

• Redesign APIs
  • Draft specifications for new API design
  • Implement APIs
  • Port significant 0.4 features to new APIs
  • Improve developer documentation

• Migrate to JME
  • Make changes to core JME code
    • Add listeners to transform changes
    • Optimize rendering
  • Create MTGame - Adds threading and processing model to JME

• Design and build new avatar system
  • Create new avatar API
  • Avatar designs
  • Bone models
  • Skinning
  • Customizable avatar animations (requires Maya)
  • Limited Posing
  • Avatar customization UI

• Module System
  • Plugable modules containing artwork and code
  • Deliver art assets via embedded HTTP server
  • Package extensions (e.g. new cell types)
  • Module Central web UI for distributing modules

• Embedded Swing
  • Basis for new HUD (heads-up display)
  • For general user interface construction

• World Assembly
  • Import 3D models in Collada format, including direct import of .kmz models created with Google SketchUp
  • Dynamically add cells (eg, microphone, audio recorder, PDF Viewer, Firefox browser) to world using a palette
  • Move, resize, and scale cells using in-world tools

• Web Administration UI
  • Start and stop server components
  • Edit properties of server components
  • Manage modules
  • Manage world snapshots - enables world persistence across server restarts

Dev1 & Dev2 - December 2008 / January 2009 - completed

These two developer releases included:

• Many of the core API changes
• First version of MTGame and JME integration
• Basics of the new module system
• First version of the web administration UI
• Initial world assembly tools
• Basic immersive audio

Dev3 - February 2009 - completed

• Preliminary avatars
• Embedded Swing
• Preliminary HUD
• World persistence across server restarts
• Backup and restore of world data using snapshots
• Cell palette for dynamic addition of cell types
• Basic cell properties dialog
• Modules
  • SVG whiteboard
  • audio recorder

Dev4 - March 2009 - cancelled

• More complete avatar implementation
• New default world
• More complete HUD
• WebDAV content repository
• Security APIs
• Authorization framework
• Modules
  • Virtual phone (incoming and outgoing calls)
  • Microphone

Dev5 - May 2009 - completed

• Foundations for federation, portal Cell
• Drag-and-drop and content import framework
• Drag-and-drop import of Google SketchUp .kmz models
• Server-side shared x11 applications (preliminary)
• Authentication implementation
• User list
• Simple text chat (global and private)

Dev6 - July 2009

• Placemarks
• Module sandbox
• Preliminary scripting
• Simple avatar chooser / configuration tool
• Bug fixes and clean-up
• Performance tuning
• UI testing
• Modules
  • PDF Viewer
  • VNC Viewer
  • Documentation Viewer

0.5 End-User - July 2009

• All the features from the dev releases tested
• End user documentation
• Developer tutorials

Release 0.6 - Enhance Core Features (Monthly Releases August - December 2009)

• Full scripting
• Simple federation user interface
• Load animated models
• Integration with physics engine
• Integration with external security systems (OpenSSO)
• Private voice chat
• Module Central web UI

Release 0.7 and Beyond

The vision for Wonderland going forward is to make it the best possible environment for collaboration, be it for business, education, commerce, or entertainment. Our focus is on features that will enhance how people communicate, work together, learn together, and play together. Scenarios that we will consider focusing on for future releases include:

• Improving the content creation tool chain
• Distributed teamwork
• In-world meetings
• Conferences and other medium to large events
• Teaching and learning
• Simulations and scientific visualization
• Social networking worlds
• 3D web
  • integration with existing web infrastructure
  • Interoperability